JPoland wrote:Instresting since Amtrak killed the Sleeping Car Porters Union which was a black run and dominated union
He's also got a statue at Washington Union Station:
It does not strike me as fair to say that Amtrak killed what Randolph built. 80% of "the killing" of the union happened between the 1940s and 1960s as the number of porters working runs fell from a high of 15,000 to 3,000 in that time.
I suspect that somewhere near 1969 (When Pullman turned things over to the railroads) and probably before A-day, membership could have already been down to 2,000 or even 1,500...90% gone before Amtrak even takes full possession of all sleepers (as from Southern RR).
1940s 15,000 BSCP members
1960s 3,000 BSCP members
1969 Pullman turns sleeper biz over to railroads
1978 (merger into TCU)
1984 Reorg of TCU's "Amtrak Division" having 1500
total on-board services